Artificial Biospheres In Space

From: Ed Minchau [mailto:spider_boris@...]

> So to do a better Biosphere test, one must try a facility that does
> not receive direct sunlight, and grow everything under electric
> lights. Not only does the crew get a feel for living in a
> windowless environment in close quarters, you also get a better idea
> of the amount of electricity that would be needed, and can then
> figure out how much solar power you need to collect every month.

SSI sponsored some research indicating that to sustain a crew of 4 with food
grown under artificial lighting, the electric bill would be forty million
dollars a month.

Have a billion or so laying around you don't need? :)

I think O'Neill was correct in suggesting that we'll want to move to
agriculture under redirected sunlight at as early a point as possible.

Regards,

Mike Combs